How Do Non-citizens and Nonresidents Get Benefits?

Social Security pays retirement and disability benefits to tens of millions of Americans. But the program doesn’t just provide for benefits to U.S. citizens. Indeed, even as controversy rages over the status of undocumented workers for various government programs, Social Security’s rules contain many provisions for resident and nonresident aliens, and some of them shock people who didn’t realize that noncitizens could even qualify for Social Security benefits. The Motely Fool takes a look at five ways in which Social Security looks beyond citizenship when making payments to workers. 1. Many noncitizens living in the U.S. can get Social Security benefits Being a U.S. citizen isn’t a requirement for receiving Social Security. According to the Social Security Administration, noncitizens who are …